Income Project Officer

Positive Employment is currently recruiting for an Income Project Officer for our client, a local government organisation based in Wembley, London.

The successful post holder will play a key role in maximising income for Housing Management through robust rent collection and arrears management across a varied portfolio of properties and tenures. You will provide a high-quality, customer-focused and legislatively compliant income collection service, working closely with colleagues across Housing Management, Housing Needs, Adult Social Care and other partner services.

The role will also work closely with the Income Project Manager and Income Maximisation Service Manager to deliver targeted projects designed to improve income collection, reduce arrears and support tenants to sustain their tenancies.

This role is a temporary contract with an initial contract length of 12 months with the possibility to extend. Hybrid working with 3 days per week in the office.

• Maximise income for Housing Management through effective rent collection, arrears management and income maximisation activity.
• Manage rent arrears cases across a range of housing portfolios and tenures, ensuring rent is paid and arrears are reduced in accordance with Council policies and procedures.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of welfare benefits, particularly Housing Benefit, Universal Credit and changes arising from Welfare Reform.
• Advise and assist tenants and clients on welfare benefits, debt management and income maximisation, making appropriate referrals to specialist advice services.
• Work collaboratively with Housing Needs, Housing Management, Adult Social Care, Rent Accounting, Housing Resolutions, Emergency Housing and Social Work teams to provide a joined-up, person-centred service.
• Provide detailed engagement and support to tenants and clients in arrears, including conducting home visits and working from different sites where required.
• Negotiate sustainable repayment arrangements and monitor payment plans to ensure they remain effective.
• Participate in the letting and sign-up process to help ensure rent is received from the commencement of a tenancy.
• Prepare accurate reports on arrears cases, service performance and key performance indicators.
• Reconcile closed accounts and ensure Housing Benefit has been correctly allocated, over payments are cleared and customer credits are refunded in accordance with Council policy.
• Refer and monitor former tenant arrears with external debt collection agencies and recommend appropriate write-offs for unrecoverable debt.
• Attend and present at court cases and evictions where required, ensuring the Council's interests are protected.
• Implement effective procedures for fraud prevention and refer suspected fraud or misrepresentation to the appropriate investigation team.
• Work with internal and external partners, including the DWP, advice agencies, Housing Associations and other relevant organisations.
• Contribute to welfare reform and income-related working groups and provide updates on emerging issues and their impact on income collection.
• Support the development of effective payment methods, including promoting Direct Debits and online transactions.
• Maintain accurate customer records and ensure all statutory and service reporting requirements are met.
• Proactively monitor performance against targets and escape risks and issues appropriately.
• Respond to complaints, Members' enquiries and customer issues, taking ownership through to resolution.
• Contribute to resident engagement and consultation activities to improve service standards.
• Work flexibly across income maximisation projects and housing portfolios, responding to changing priorities and service requirements.
• Promote a commercial and holistic approach to income collection, ensuring rent and Council Tax accounts are kept in payment wherever possible.
• Support safeguarding, equality, data protection, information governance, health and safety and other relevant Council policies and procedures.

• Relevant experience in income collection, rent arrears, housing management or income maximisation, ideally within…